Ox-yoke



' (No Model.)

s. WOODWARD.

OX YOKE.

No. 363,876i Patented May 31, 1887.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

STEPHEN WOODWARD, on SUNAPEE, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

OX-YOKE.

l SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters PatentNo. l363.876,-dated May31, 1887.

Application filed March 18, 1887. Serial No. 231,396. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, STEPHEN WOODWARD, a citizen of the United States,residing at Sunapee, in the county of Sullivan and State of NewHampshire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inOx-Yokes; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures ofreference marked thereon, which form apart of this specification.

My invention relates to' that class of oxyokes in which the bows have alateral play as regards the top beam; and the chief object is to swivelthe neck-piece carrying the bows, the swivel-bolt passing from theneck-piece through a slot in said beam and terminating in the washer endof a sliding toothed rack onthe upper side of the top beam, eachneckpiece turning on said bolt as a'center, no matter what the varyinglateral position of the bows may be.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation. vertical section.

Like letters refer to like parts. v A represents the bows. These areinserted Fig. 3 is a broken in the depending sockets a of the neck-piecesaid piece B extends each swivel-"bolt O. These pass-through long slots0 in the top beam, D, and are riveted in the washer end 6 of the slidingrack E. However, it would answer as well to thread the upper end of bolt0 and fastenit by a nut. The racks Flare toothed at f for more than halftheir length, and the teeth engage with a gear-wheel, H, pivoted on thetop of beam D and underneath a circular guard, 9, made integral with thebridge h, the sides of which prevent the racks from getting out ofplace.

J is a staple carrying the pole-ring K. It will'now be seen how the bowscan both have lateral play, and also turn on the swivel-bolt as thenecks of the oxen vary; but, if desired,

a latch or latches, may be placed on the outer sides of the neck-piece,which by striking the top beam would regulate or shut off the rotationof the neck-piece.

' I propose to make the full-sized ,yokes of malleable iron or suitablematerial, and in such case the swivel-bolt and bow-sockets would be castintegral with the neck-piece; but when the yoke is made of wood the saidsockets would be tightly driven into the wooden neck-piece, and' othervariations coming within ordinary judgment could be made, which need notbe specified.

Some of the benefits of my improvement are as follows: Whatever theposition of the.

oxen is, the pressure of the bow on the nigh cart, which is agreatadvant'age when steep entrances are to be ascended, also forsavingthe team and obviating the lifting of the tongue when heavily loaded.

From the manner in which the swivel'bolts are attached to the rack-barsthe ordinary movement of the necks of the oxen need not necessarily givelateral motion to said bars;

but when the cattle materially change their position the bolts willcause said bar to move and the parts will adjust themselves.

Having fully described my invention,'what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent,

isv 1. The combination, with the slotted top beam, of the gear-wheel,the rack-bars toothed on opposite sides of said wheel and provided witha washer end, the neck-pieces having a bow, and a swivel-bolt, thelatter adapted to turn in the washer end of its respective rac'k- IOObar, whereby the sid bolts may turn without moving the rack-barslaterally or may move them when the oxen crowd or push away, as

set forth.

2. In an ox-yoke, the combination, with the slotted top beam, therack-bars, and gearwheel, of the swiveled neck-pieces, each providedwith a bow, depending bow-sockets, and locking-latehes, the latterengaging with the top beam to prevent or adjust the rotation of said '10neck-pieces, as set. forth.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

STEPHEN WOODWARD.

Vitnesses:

W. O. STURoo, SARAH O. STUROC.

